The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1887-06-23

beating. Simon determined on revenge,
and afterwards meeting with his assail-
ant, chastised him so severely that he
left him for dead. After rejecting, feel
ing that he was a murderer, he fled to
the woods and made for the Allegheny
Mountains. This was on the 9th of
April, 177l.
This rash act drove him from his home.
He became fugitive from justice-a
prey to remorse and fear. He changed
his name, became a wanderer-illiterate,
penniless and friendless. '~ef
No wonder that the stirring scenes OF
frontier life, with its dangers and hair
breadth escapes-with its alternate days
Of famine and plentv-of solitude in the
wilderness and of life in the block.house
and cabin-gave zest in its variety to the
tortured mind of Simon, and rendered
him willing captive to the vicissitudes
of such an existence. Dreading punish.
ment and disgrace in the home of his
youth, his mental moods were of that
sort to we'll 1t him for the blood-thirsty
work of the destruction of the cruel and
treacherous savage, to whom he soon
became, and always remained, most
inveterate foe.
It has been often asked, Where is
what is called "Kenton's Trace" and
through what part of Highland county
did it pass For evidence upon this
question we copy deposition signed and
sworn to by Simon Kenton taken in an
action of ejectment pending in the Cir
cult Court of the United States for the
Seventh Circuit and district Of Ohio,
wherein the lessee of George Mathews
and Charles L. Mathews was plaintiff,
and Samuel Gibson and David jolly were
defendants, and recorded in the records
of deeds of Highland county, book G,
page 1888. It was taken on the 9Th day Of
July in the year 1911, nearly three-quar-
ters OF a century since. While it speaks
of familiar characters and of lands in our
immediate locality, as matter of inter.
est it will justify the introduction of the
entire paper.
State of Ohio, Highland County, IS.
Pursuant to an act of the first session
of the Eighth General Assembly Of the
State of Ohio, begun and held at Chill.
licothe, December the fourth day in the
year one thousand eight hundred and
nine, entitled An act providing the mode
of perpetuating testimony in certain
cases. Personally appeared before us
two associate judges of the county of
Highland, viz: Jonathan Berreman and
Richard Evans, and after having been
duly sworn according to law, the depo.
nent, Simon Kenton, of the county of
Champaign and State aforesaid, who was
formerly resident of the State OF Ken
tuoky, deposeth and saith that on the
I'd day of May, in the year 1901, he made
an encampment on the waters of Paint
Greek the time that Chez the said Simon
Kenton and his men went to where Tim
othy Downing killed the Indian, which
said encampment is the center of q
square including 500 acres running north,
south, east and west, for quantity enter
ed for Samuel Gibson by Henry Delay,
and the deponent further deposeth and
saith that the above described encamp.
ment is here at this identical spot by a
sugar tree marked thus: s. G., for the
initials of Samuel Gibson, the proper
owner of said 500 owners.
Interrogations by Samuel Gibson to
the said defendant (viz:)
| Did you encamp any more than one
night on the waters of Paint Greek?
Answered by the said deponent, No.
Do you think skillful and expert.
enced surveyor, Immediately after your
return home to Kentucky, could have
found the above described encampment
by your direction, in order to make a
survey according to the entry made and
returned to Col. R. @. Anderson's office
alluded to as above?
The deponent answered, Yes.
Do you recollect whether Gen. Nathan
. iel Massie was present at Col. Ander'
sons Office when Samuel Gibson's entry
of 500 acres was returned to said Office
by Henry Delay, yourself being present
The answer by the deponent, Yes.
Do you think the said Gen. Massie
wrote an entry or made a statement o.
the above entry of 500 acres in the name
of Samuel Gibson in writing expressive
of the location
Answered by the deponent, Yes.
Do you think that after a record of thu
entry or location was made in Col. An
derson's Office that any skillful surveyol
experienced in the woods could hav'
found the said encampment without an!
other information than a copy of th'
entry?
The answer by the said deponent, Yes
And further the said deponent saitl
not.
> Given under my hand this sth day o
July, in the year 1911.
SIMON KENToN, Deponent.
RIcHAR Evans, Associate
: JONATHAN BERREMAN,J Judges.
In subsequent deposition in the sam
. case, prepared for Simon Kenton on tn
r Oath day of June, 1926, by Richard Col
8 1;uo Eon q p;ouoor Ia wvar of tho Hil1s